The invention disclosed herein relates generally to rich media content delivery systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing editorial content comprising rich media through television navigation controls and electronic program guides.
Various audio/video navigation and electronic program guide systems are known to those skilled in the art. These systems typically provide some degree of interactive functionality whereby advanced navigation features are made available to a user of such a system. For example, electronic program guides are provided whereby a user may explore programming available at a variety of future times. Likewise, advanced information may be provided to users as they navigate among the channels that comprise the available programming.
Currently deployed or developed cable systems provide functionality that allows for brief textual descriptions to be accessed through the use of an input device. These brief textual descriptions typically comprise a summary of the program, rating, start and end times, and other miscellaneous programming data. These current systems, however, do not provide access to rich media editorial content items. Furthermore, these brief textual descriptions do not provide for interactive functionality or contemplate executing interactive code to better interface with the user.
There is thus a need for a system and method whereby a variety of editorial content items comprised of rich media may be viewed within a set of television navigation controls or an electronic program guide.